This Is the Day
by LeanaVine
Summary: Trunks' life started to spiral downward while in high school, and after he left, no one heard from him for quite some time. Now, years later, his childhood friend Gohan has reentered his life. (Normal!AU. Warning of depression, drug abuse, sex, and underage scenes. Includes Man/Man. Truhan, Gohan/Trunks. Slight Gohan/Videl. Slight Trunks/Pan.)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Before I really start, I just wanted to thank Dr. Trunks Briefs, for inspiring me. I only just recently got back into the _Dragon Ball Z_ fandom, though I saw every episode as a kid. Her story, _As In Love With You As I Am_ is just amazing, and I really suggest you go read it. I've always shipped Gohan and M. Trunks, but she just sort of reignited the flame in me.

This is an AU. None of the characters can wield ki or fly, and Gohan, Trunks, Goku, and Vegeta aren't Saiyans. This is just a normal, every day, AU. So when I say Normal!AU, I don't mean the modern _Dragon Ball Z_ world. There are no flying cars or anything. This is like every day life.

Also, I'm using M. Trunks (or Mirai Trunks, or Future Trunks) because that's how I want you to imagine him. Right now this story is under the Friendship category, but that'll change later.

As always, I do not share any views expressed by any characters in this story. And I own nothing in this story.

Okay, please read, review, and enjoy!

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Trunks and Gohan had been best friends since the day that Bulma and Vegeta brought Trunks home from the hospital. Gohan was six then, and was all too eager to have a new playmate. He constantly insisted on staying over at the Briefs' home, so he could feed, bathe, and change baby Trunks. Bulma was happy to have the help, exhausted from the delivery, and not recieving much help from Vegeta.

Gohan only lived about twenty minutes away, by car, with his parents, Goku and Chi-Chi Son. Gohan had grown up referring to Bulma as Auntie Bulma since their families were so close. She and Goku had grown up together, and stayed in contact for the rest of their lives. Bulma was the Maid of Honor at Goku and Chi-Chi's wedding; Chi-Chi had been a bridesmaid, and Goku was an usher, at the wedding of Bulma and Vegeta.

Gohan and Trunks often had play dates. Their mothers would chit-chat and sip coffee, sometimes giggling at how cute their children were. Bulma was a mechanical engineer, and made great money, while Chi-Chi was the opposite, being a modest housewife. Her family was very rich, so they had more money than they knew what to do with. Even so, Goku tried to stay at work, doing odd jobs like repairs, carpentering, welding, and electrical work. Vegeta was a very non-personal, personal trainer.

As the years went by, the boys had to spend more and more time together. Every holiday, every weekend, and most days after Gohan got home from school. Trunks would cry when Gohan had to leave, usually so he could go home and study. Chi-Chi was very adamant that Gohan have straight A's, even in elementary school. When Trunks was four, he started preschool, but didn't adjust well. He still cried for Gohan, and it wasn't easy for the teachers to console him. Trunks bit one of the other children for making fun of him, so Bulma pulled him out. From then on, he would spend his days with Chi-Chi, who was happy to watch him. She was a born mother. Trunks liked it, too, because he would get to go with Chi-Chi when it was time to pick Gohan up from school.

Trunks eventually had to start kindergarten, and he hated it at first. There were no more incidents of biting, but Trunks did hit some of the children. He was often in time out, and Bulma had to meet with Trunks' teacher a few times. They finally made an arrangement so that Gohan could spend just a couple hours every day in Trunks' class, helping him color, do puzzles, or whatever else the class was going. Gohan wasn't embarrassed to do it; he liked spending extra time with his little buddy.

With some time, Trunks started to get along with the other children, especially one girl named Pan. Gohan stopped coming to sit with him during class, but Trunks didn't seem to mind. He and Pan were inseparable during school hours, but as soon as the final bell rang, Trunks was running off to find Gohan so they could ride home together. Bulma met Pan's mother when it was time for parent/teacher conferences, and they decided that the two should start having play dates of their own. They joked about how their babies made such a cute couple, but Trunks didn't understand what that meant yet. He liked playing with Pan, but he liked it a lot better when he got to spend his days with Gohan.

When Trunks started the first grade, he began staying the night with Gohan a lot, even on school nights. Gohan would help him with his homework, and then they would watch movies for a few hours before going to bed. Although Trunks always brought a sleeping bag, he demanded to sleep in Gohan's bed with him. Chi-Chi didn't mind, but they all kept it a secret from Bulma for as long as they could, whom they were sure would put a stop to that. She wanted Trunks to act mature, like Gohan had at his age. Crying unless he could sleep snuggled up to his best friend wasn't very mature behavior.

As they got older, Pan wanted to spend more time with Trunks. This meant sacrificing time with Gohan, which was not something that he wanted to do, but he didn't have much choice. Bulma argued that it wasn't fair to Pan for Trunks to spend every day with Gohan, and she wasn't wrong. But Pan started acting differently. She wanted to hold Trunks' hand and kiss him on the cheek, even when he told her it was gross. He kissed Gohan on the cheek sometimes, but that was different. At least she never spent the night. After she left for the day, Trunks would hurriedly finish his homework so that his mom would call Gohan. They would stay on the phone until it was time for Trunks to get ready for bed.

Trunks didn't understand why he had to stop spending the night at Gohan's house on the weekend. Chi-Chi said it was okay, but Bulma explained to Trunks that Gohan was becoming a man, so he needed alone time. Trunks didn't think Gohan was a man. He was a lot taller that Trunks, but he was still a kid, wasn't he? Did being fourteen make Gohan a man? Every once in a while, when Trunks begged with all his might, Bulma would let him spend the night at the Son home, but only if he promised to sleep in the living room. He didn't like not being able to sleep with Gohan, but at least they got to see each other first thing in the morning and have breakfast together. Chi-Chi made the best pancakes. Sometimes she did fun shapes, too.

When Gohan started high school, he didn't have a lot of time to play with Trunks anymore. He was always studying, getting ready for college and exams. Trunks knew that Gohan was super intelligent, so he didn't get why Gohan had to study every day. Couldn't he take just one day off? Just enough time for him and Trunks to go to the park?

In middle school, Pan asked Trunks to be her boyfriend. He didn't really understand what she meant at first. Weren't they already friends? He asked Gohan about it, assuming he had more experience with girls. He was seventeen, after all. Surprisingly, Gohan blushed, rubbing the back of his head, when Trunks asked if he had ever had a boyfriend. When Gohan asked where he heard that from, Trunks explained his dilemma, and Gohan told him all about how it worked when a boy and girl liked each other. They became boyfriend and girlfriend, and that meant Trunks wouldn't play with any other girls, and Pan wouldn't play with any other boys. Trunks argued that he and Pan already had that.

"Well, maybe she wants more from you, since you're starting to get older."

Trunks was a bright boy, but he could be dense sometimes. "What do you mean, Gohan? What does she want from me? I already see her every day, I buy her ice cream- sometimes I even let her hold my hand!"

Gohan chuckled. "Well maybe, she wants to like, kiss and stuff."

"You mean on the mouth?" Trunks sounded shocked. He'd seen his mom and dad kiss on the mouth, but he never imagined doing that with Pan. "But I don't wanna marry her!"

Waving his hands as a sign for Trunks to slow down a little, Gohan clarified. "You don't have to marry her, but I think Pan likes you, more than a friend. She probably wants to kiss, and maybe even cuddle, like you and I used to do."

Scrunching up his nose, Trunks quickly shook his head. "Yuck! But I don't want to do that with anyone but you. Why can't you be my boyfriend?"

Gohan was burning red in a few seconds, looking nervous for some reason. "Well, we're friends, Trunks. We don't love each other like that."

Trunks left the Son home even more confused than he had been before. He told Pan the next day that he wouldn't be her boyfriend, but that he did enjoy spending time with her. She seemed to be satisfied with that, for the time being.

When Gohan graduated high school, Bulma gifted him a new laptop, and a better cellphone - of course she would give him technological gifts. Gohan had little experience with computers, but had no idea how his new phone worked. Bulma was happy to show him, though. This way, he could stay in contact with everyone after he went away for college. While he had several offers, Gohan had decided on a school that was about four hours from his home on Mt. Paozu.

Trunks didn't like it, of course. He was happy for Gohan, but they hadn't gone more than a couple of days without seeing each other since Trunks was born. Gohan would come home for all the holidays, and sometimes on the weekend, if he didn't have an exam to study for. That wasn't enough to Trunks. He stayed over at the Son home the night before Gohan was set to leave. He'd been dutifully sleeping on their couch when he spent the night, but that night, he couldn't help himself. Trunks knew that he was too old for it, but he just had to sleep in Gohan's bed, one last time.

When he woke up the next morning, Gohan was pretty surprised to see Trunks snuggled up to his side. Even so, he smiled, wrapping an arm around Trunks' shoulders. Chi-Chi checked Gohan's room when she didn't find Trunks on the couch, and beamed when she saw the two snuggled up, deep in sleep. She decided to pretend like she didn't know. Bulma would've been pretty upset if she found out.

Trunks was very quiet during breakfast. Gohan seemed excited and nervous, going over a mental checklist of everything he'd packed. Chi-Chi was giddy, of course. Maybe it hadn't set in yet that her son would be living hours away in another city. When they were done eating, Goku helped Gohan pack up the car. That was when Chi-Chi started to cry. She said her goodbyes at home, not wanting to make a big fuss and embarrass him at his new school. Trunks rode with them as Goku drove Gohan the four hours to Orange Star City.

Gohan was full of energy, telling Trunks all about the classes he had picked. He wasn't sure what career he wanted yet, so he was getting some of his core classes out of the way his first semester. Trunks was pretty quiet, his stomach churning. He tried his hardest not to cry when they pulled up to Gohan's dorm. He helped Goku and Gohan carry his luggage up to the third floor, where Gohan's room was. Once he was moved in, Gohan gave a final hug to his father, then turned to Trunks.

His eyes were watering and stinging a little, but Trunks refused to let any tears spill over. "I'm gonna miss you, Gohan," he mumbled.

With a soft smile, the older man knelt down so that he could be at Trunk's level when they hugged. He couldn't help but chuckle when Trunks' fingers dug into his back, and he hid his face in Gohan's shoulder. "Don't worry, I'll be home before you know it," he reassured the boy shaking in his arms.

"I love you, Gohan."

It just sort of slipped out, and Trunks stopped breathing seconds after. Trunks hadn't said he loved Gohan since he was little. It was out of character, but not in a bad way. Gohan was quiet for a second, before replying, "I love you, too, Trunks," giving him a light squeeze.

Goku offered to let Trunks ride shotgun on the way home, but he passed, wanting to stay in the backseat. A few tears finally fell down his cheeks, but he quickly wiped them away, just in case Goku was watching him in the rear-view mirror. Trunks wanted so badly to just tuck and roll out of the car and go running back to Gohan, begging him to come home. Instead, he just stared out the window, trying not to think about how different things were going to be from now on.

The next few days were really hard for Trunks. Just a couple of weeks after he started the sixth grade, he got really sick, and had to stay home for a few days. Bulma wagered that a virus must be going around - this happened a lot at the beginning of the school year. In reality, Trunks was just so depressed from not seeing Gohan, he was starting to feel like a zombie.

Bulma decided to give Trunks his own cellphone once he started to feel a little better. Now he could text Gohan every day, and could call him any time. Trunks was overjoyed, texting Gohan immediately. Gohan sounded pretty thrilled, too, as far as Trunks could tell from his text. Apparently, Gohan hadn't made many friends yet, and he'd been feeling sort of lonely, so he was happy he'd have someone to talk to.

The rest of the semester went well. Gohan came home for a couple of days on Halloween and Thanksgiving, before getting two weeks off for Christmas. Trunks tried to spend as much time with Gohan as he could, but Bulma pulled him aside one day, explaining that Gohan might want to just spend some time with his parents. Trunks understood, but still bugged Gohan pretty often.

Spring rolled around, and Trunks signed up for the baseball team. Vegeta was a proud father, and was pretty open about it for the first time. He never missed any of Trunks' games. He didn't cheer very loudly, but he smiled and clapped, making Trunks' heart swell with confidence.

It turned out that Trunks was good at a lot of sports. He gained quite a bit of popularity, being the MVP in baseball, soccer, basketball, and wrestling. Even with his new status, Trunks remained a quiet kid. Pan was the only person he hung out with, other than his teammates. Everyone thought they were a couple, but Trunks always politely denied the accusations. He liked Pan a lot, but not like that.

Sometimes, Trunks would get caught texting in class, but most of the time, he was good at sneaking a few messages when the teacher's back was turned. He and Gohan texted constantly, and called each other on the nights that Trunks didn't have practice and Gohan wasn't too busy studying. Gohan had made a few friends in his classes, but he still devoted a lot of time to Trunks, which made the younger boy very happy.

The summer after Gohan's first year of college, he and Trunks spent almost every day together, just like when they were kids. When they were at Gohan's house, Trunks showed him how to play baseball and soccer. They had tried wrestling a few times, but Chi-Chi complained when Gohan got a few bruises. Instead, Gohan came to a lot of his matches, cheering Trunks on from the sidelines, not at all acting like the shy guy he usually was. Over at Trunks' house, he and Gohan stayed up all night playing video games and watching bad karate movies. After, they would pretend spar, making crazy noises like the people did in those old films. At least once during the night, Gohan would bust out singing "Everybody Was Kung Fu Fighting," and Trunks' defenses would fall because he was too busy laughing to block. They never slept in the same bed, but compromised. Trunks would roll out his sleeping bag on the floor by Gohan's bed, overjoyed that he wouldn't have to sleep in the living room anymore.

Trunks never wanted that summer to end.


	2. Chapter 2

Before Gohan returned to college that August, he asked Trunks to do him a favor. "I want you to really try to make some friends." The teen looked confused, so Gohan smiled and clarified. "Your mom told me that the only time you're out of the house is for school and practice. You need to have a social life, outside of me."

Trunks didn't ride with Goku to take Gohan back to campus this time. He really thought about what the older man had said. _'Am I annoying him?'_ Trunks wondered. _'He must be sick of me, being stuck with me all summer. I should've known.'_

That August, Trunks started his last year of middle school. He was thirteen now, but was still a bit short for his age. Pan was nearly as tall as him, and most of his teammates towered over him. It was actually because of his height that his basketball coach asked Trunks to resign from the team. It was crushing, but Trunks accepted it. He still had baseball, soccer, and wrestling, after all. Even so, Trunks was a bit embarrassed. He tried to remember how tall Gohan had been at his age.

To Trunks' surprise, Vegeta wasn't angry when he got kicked off the basketball team. At least, not with him. He was actually pretty encouraging. "In a year or two, you'll be six feet tall, and you'll have your revenge on that coach. He'll regret the day he let you go. You're a talented kid." Afterwards, Vegeta and Trunks shot a few hoops outside in the driveway. It was the first time in weeks that the two of them had done anything together, just them. It meant a lot to the teen.

Trunks didn't ever text Gohan first after their conversation a few weeks before. He would always wait for Gohan to text him, and then would stall for a few minutes, trying to make it seem like he wasn't too excited. Gohan told him not to let his size get him down, that he'd hit a growth spurt soon enough.

Since he didn't have an extra practice to go to, Trunks and Pan were able to spend more time together. He liked being around Pan, but sometimes she tried to flirt, and it would just make Trunks uncomfortable. If they went to the movies, Pan wanted to lay her head on his shoulder, or would try to sneak her hand into his. It wasn't all bad, though. Since Pan was so comfortable around him, she and Trunks could talk about anything, and could do almost everything together. At restaurants, they stole food off of each other's plates, or sometimes ordered for each other.

People started asking Trunks if he and Pan were a couple. He never said they were, but he didn't deny the accusations, either. He'd seen Pan's face the last time he told someone they weren't dating. Being the oversensitive, teenager she was, Pan always took it as she wasn't good enough for Trunks. He tried to explain that he only saw her as a friend, but she just thought he was making up excuses.

That Halloween, Gohan didn't come home from college. He instead told his parents that he'd be home for a week at Thanksgiving. Everyone was excited, because Gohan usually only got two days with his family, and part of that included traveling. Trunks was a little disappointed that Gohan wouldn't be home for Halloween. They usually bought discount candy and pigged out while they watched old horror movies. This year, he did that with Pan instead, who was of course thrilled.

Bulma, and Pan's mother, agreed to let her stay the night, as long as she slept on the couch. She and Trunks watched several black and white movies, like _Night of the Living Dead_ and _Psycho_. Pan passed out around one in the morning, so Trunks covered her up and went to bed. It was no surprise, though, when Trunks woke up to find Pan trying to sneak into bed with him. The green numbers on his alarm clock read 3:43 am. He sighed. "Pan, what are you doing?"

She froze, then finished climbing into the bed, getting under the dark blue comforter. "I've never gotten to spend the night with you before. I just wanted to sleep in your bed tonight."

Trunks thought about it, then groaned. "Fine, but you have to be out of here before Mom or Dad wake up, got it?" Pan nodded, snuggling up to Trunks' side. He smiled a little, wrapping an arm around her shoulders so that she could use his chest as a pillow.

The second time Trunks was woken up was when he felt Pan sliding a hand under his shirt. He shot up, looking down at her. "What are you doing?" he asked quickly. There was fear and shock in his voice.

Even in the dark, he could see how embarrassed Pan was. "I just..." was all she managed to say. She didn't have to finish her thought; Trunks understood. He knew that Pan liked him, she'd told him as much. Maybe she'd seen him allowing her into his bed as an invitation for something more.

Sighing through his nose, Trunks sat up, turning to face her. "Pan, you're one of my best friends. You know that I care about you, and that I need you in my life. But, I don't like you like _that_. I want you as a friend. Okay?"

She was quiet, but Trunks saw her nod. With a little smile, he assured her that he wasn't mad, and laid back down, pulling her to his side again. In the morning, he woke her, and she quickly went to the living room, where she was supposed to be sleeping. Suddenly, Trunks remembered when he was little, and Gohan was a teenager. Bulma made Trunks start sleeping on the couch, just like she was having Pan sleep on the couch now. He wondered if snuggling with Gohan was as inappropriate in her eyes as it was with Pan. Was that a thing?

In the days before Thanksgiving, Trunks was anxious. He was constantly looking at the clock, wanting these days to wind down quickly, so that Gohan would come home. Trunks didn't know what he would say when he saw Gohan, or how he would act. He still thought that Gohan wanted space, even though the older man texted him pretty often. Trunks remembered that he was supposed to be making friends and getting out of the house. Would Gohan be angry to learn that nothing had really changed with Trunks?

Thanksgiving day, Goku went to pick up Gohan, and Trunks was a nervous wreck. He had been trying to decide whether or not he should make up some fake friends, so Gohan wouldn't be disappointed in him. He called Pan about it, and she told him not to worry. **"Just tell him about how we hang out. I mean, you _have_ been getting out of the house, and you're not texting him all the time anymore. I'm sure that'll be enough,"** she said through the phone.

Trunks nodded, though she couldn't see. "You're probably right. I'm just worried. Gohan's never been mad at me before."

For the first time since he started college, Trunks wasn't there when Gohan got home. He was actually surprised, and asked his mom about it. "He mentioned something about helping his mother make dinner," Chi-Chi told him as she mashed some potatoes.

That night, they all had Thanksgiving dinner at Bulma and Vegeta's house. Goku's parents and brother were dead, so they only brought along Chi-Chi's father. Bulma's mother and father came, as well as Vegeta's younger brother, Tarble. Conversation was lively and constant during dinner, and everyone was interested in how school was going for Gohan. He blushed at the attention, but was happy to tell them all about the new friends he had and how much he enjoyed his classes. He'd decided on studying physics, much to Chi-Chi's delight. She had always thought he would grow up to be a scientist or doctor.

Though Gohan sat next to Trunks at the dinner table, they hardly spoke. Trunks was afraid to even look in his direction, poking at the food on his plate. They didn't really start talking until the women were in the kitchen washing dishes. "Wanna grab dessert?" Gohan asked.

Trunks jumped a little to be addressed by the older man, but smiled and nodded. Gohan got a piece of pumpkin pie with plenty of whipped cream, and Trunks settled on a piece of caramel turtle pie. "How can you eat that mush?" Trunks asked, pointing his chocolate-covered fork at the orange dessert on Gohan's plate.

Laughing a little, Gohan warned him, "Be careful. Your mom made this pie." He leaned to look in the kitchen, and saw that the women were happily talking and drinking wine. "So," he started, before putting a bite of pumpkin and whipped cream in his mouth, "how've things been? I guess you've had more free time since you're not doing basketball this year."

Trunks nodded. "Yeah, just wrestling right now. We'll start practice for baseball and soccer after Christmas." He was quiet for a moment before continuing. "I've been hanging out with Pan a lot, but I haven't really made any new friends. The guys I played basketball with don't talk to me much anymore." Inside, Trunks was praying Gohan wouldn't be mad.

"Well, that sucks for them," was all the older man said. Trunks breathed a sigh of relief. "So next year, you'll be in high school, right?"

With a nervous smile, Trunks laughed. "Yeah, I'm kinda nervous." When Gohan looked at him curiously, he elaborated. "I remember when you started high school. You were always studying and stressed about your grades. I guess I'm just scared to see how much harder it's going to be."

Gohan chuckled. "It's not that bad. I just needed great test scores so I could get academic scholarships. As long as you keep a B average, you'll probably get a scholarship for baseball or something."

Trunks wondered for a minute if Gohan didn't think he was capable of having all A's, but he waved that thought away. Gohan had never made him feel like he was stupid. He treated Trunks like an equal, not a little kid. "So, you're studying physics, right?" Gohan nodded. "Are you going to be a scientist?"

With another nod, Gohan said, "I might start out as a professor, writing papers about my theories, y'know? Then when I get recognized, I guess I'll get recruited to do experiments and stuff."

"Would you ever go to space?"

Gohan was taken off guard by the question, but grinned. "You know I've always wanted to go to space." Of course Trunks remembered. Gohan had been obsessed with _Star Wars_ when they were little. "I'd like to see what it's like to live in the space station, or go to Mars. Who knows what we'll be capable of in ten years?"

After everyone had finished their dessert, they all sat in the living room talking. Gohan and Trunks went back to his room to escape the loud talking and laughing of their families. Turning in circles, Gohan looked at everything in Trunks' room. "You have a lot of posters, huh?" Trunks mostly had posters from old movies he and Gohan had grown up watching. He had so many that he'd had to start putting them on the ceiling.

"Yeah, Mom wasn't thrilled when I started putting them up there," Trunks responded, pointing at a _Planet of the Apes_ poster above his desk. "What was I supposed to do? I ran out of room, and I couldn't get rid of any of them."

Gohan gave him a warm smile. "Well, I like it. We're not allowed to use tacks or tape on the walls in my dorm, so I don't have any posters. I guess you have enough for the both of us." He laughed, and Trunks felt it vibrate in his chest.

As he sat on his bed, Trunks asked, "So are girls allowed in your dorm?" Gohan's college didn't have co-ed dorms, so Trunks had always wondered if girls could go in the boys' rooms.

Shaking his head, Gohan replied, "Nah. They can come hang out in the lobby, but they're not allowed upstairs. We can't go in their rooms either. Well- sometimes we can. There are special days when we're allowed in each other's rooms, but we have to leave the door open, and our feet have to be touching the floor the whole time."

Trunks laughed, though he felt relieved. He had wondered if Gohan had girls in his room, if he'd had sex. Surely, he couldn't, if they weren't allowed to bring girls in their rooms, right? "Do you have a girlfriend?" Trunks hadn't really meant to ask it, but he tried not to look nervous now that he had.

Gohan sat next to him. "No. I mean, I've been on a couple dates, I guess. At least I think they were dates." He chuckled, and Trunks smiled. Okay, that was okay. Gohan was allowed to go on a few dates. "Hey," he said, pulling Trunks out of his thoughts, "why don't we go throw the ole pigskin around?"

Trunks laughed. "You sound like my dad."

"I was trying to speak jock."

They played catch in the yard for a bit. The air was crisp and cold, so much that Trunks could see Gohan's breath. Sometimes, it made him stop paying attention, and he wouldn't catch the ball, or it'd smack him in the chest and he'd barely manage to grasp it. He wasn't sure if it was obvious or not that he'd been staring, but Gohan never said anything about it, so Trunks tried to relax.

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 **A/N:** Thanks to those of you that reviewed the first chapter (I think it was just one person, but I can't remember). I hope you're enjoying it so far. Expect some fluff, next chapter. :D


	3. Chapter 3

The other men must've noticed Trunks and Gohan outside, because it wasn't long before they came out and organized teams for tag football. It was Vegeta, Tarble, and Trunks against Goku, Gohan, and Gohan's grandpa, the Ox King. Trunks was a little worried at first; Gohan's grandpa was a huge dude. But Trunks soon learned that he was a gentle giant, and wasn't a fast runner, so he became an easy target.

Vegeta didn't seem to know what the 'tag' part of tag football meant. Instead of slapping the opposing player that had the ball, Vegeta would tackle him, ripping the ball from his hands, and shout, "Tag!" Maybe he did know, and was just being an ass, which was very likely. Goku and Gohan seemed to think it was pretty funny. Trunks just got pissed when Vegeta took him to the ground for no reason. "Pay attention!" he yelled as he stood.

Goku got his revenge, though. Tarble had the ball, and was running for the line in the mud they had designated as their touchdown zone. Vegeta was right behind him, protecting him from any other players looking to steal the ball. Out of nowhere, Goku swooped down, knocking Vegeta on his stomach. Before he could stand, Goku sat on his back, making him shout profanities and pound his fists in the dirt. Everyone laughed, including Vegeta, eventually.

Bulma came out after a while, a glass of white wine in her hand. Funny, but hadn't the women been drinking red wine before? They must've finished that first bottle, Trunks thought. And looking at his mom, and how happy she was, he guessed that must be true. She only complained for a moment about how dirty Vegeta had gotten, then she kissed his cheek and offered him her wine. "Don't stay out here too much longer, boys," she told the group. "News says there's some snow headed this way."

Gohan smiled wide. "And she expects that to make us go inside?" He looked down at Trunks, who smiled back at him. They had always loved the snow. While it got really cold at Gohan's house, at the top of Mt. Paozu, and the snow got really deep there, Trunks didn't get much snow at his house, near the bottom of the mountain.

The two teens ended up sitting outside on the porch, watching the skies, as the adults went back in where it was warm. "I hope it snows soon," Gohan said, as the gray clouds rolled by. "It doesn't snow much at Orange Star City, and even if it does, you can't enjoy it. There are no open fields for snowball fights, and trucks come by salting the roads and sidewalks, so what little snow we get doesn't last long."

"Well, you'll have a whole week to enjoy it here," Trunks said with a smile. He looked up at Gohan's face, his black, spiky hair silhouetted against the dull sky. "I just can't believe it..."

Gohan looked down at him curiously. "What can't you believe? That I'll be home so long?" The younger boy nodded, and Gohan half smiled. "I know. I feel like I haven't seen you at all in the last year." He hesitantly ruffled Trunks' hair, earning a grunt from him. "You're growing up, and I'm not here to see it."

Trunks noticed the sad smile on his friend's face, but didn't mention it. He took Gohan's hand from his lavender hair, and knotted their fingers together. He felt the older man tense for a second, but then he relaxed again. Trunks didn't dare look at him. Instead, he kept his eyes on the sky, waiting for the snow.

After about an hour of sitting there in silence, it started to get dark, so Gohan stood, untangling his hand from Trunks' and they went inside. Everyone had settled down a bit, and they were quietly chatting. All the food had been divided and wrapped up in foil, and Goku looked dead tired, leaning on Chi-Chi with an arm around her shoulders. She smiled up at Gohan when he entered with Trunks, and whispered, "I guess we should get going."

"Actually," Gohan replied, looking down at his friend, "I was going to ask Aunt Bulma and Vegeta if I could spend the night. Trunks and I could have a movie night and wait on the snow."

Bulma interjected, "Well, that'd be fine, but Tarble's in the guest bedroom for the night. You'd have to bunk with Trunks."

Smiling, Gohan replied, "I'm okay with that. It'll be like old times."

After saying goodnight to his parents and grandfather, they left, along with Bulma's parents. Tarble bid everyone adieu, and retired to his room. He lived pretty far away, from what Trunks knew, so he'd rest and go home in the morning. With the snow coming, he didn't need to be driving long distances in the middle of the night, anyway. Bulma and Vegeta told the teens goodnight, and headed back to their room as well.

"Well Trunks, what movie should we watch first?" Gohan seemed excited, and it made Trunks glow inside. He hadn't known that Gohan was planning on staying the night, so this was a treat. Though they'd spent most of the summer together, that felt like an eternity ago.

They ended up watching _Who Am I?_ , a Jackie Chan movie from when Trunks was just a baby. Halfway through, Gohan jostled the younger boy's shoulder and pointed out the window. Snow was falling lightly, and it looked like it was sticking to the grass. By the end of the movie, it was almost like a blizzard outside, illuminated by a single street light which was getting lost in the storm. Gohan quirked a brow at Trunks, then ran for the coat rack by the door, pulling on his shoes, jacket, and hat.

The two ran outside, the new snow crunching under their feet. Trunks shivered, looking out into the quiet night, flakes getting into his eyes. It was past one in the morning, so everything was silent. It was like he and Gohan were the only people in the world. He turned to smile at his friend, and was met with a snowball to the face. Gohan gasped, then laughed, running over to him. "I'm sorry!" he spouted, wiping the snow from the face now glaring at him. He couldn't help but laugh harder. "I swear I wasn't aiming for your face. It's hard to see out here."

An impromptu snow ball fight broke out, and they tried to be quiet, shrieking under their breaths. Trunks wanted to take a picture of this moment in his mind - just him and Gohan, laughing and happy. After a while, Trunks couldn't feel his hands anymore, and called for a time out. He tried rubbing his palms on his jeans, but they were a little wet, snow sticking to him. Gohan jogged over, muttering something about Trunks being such a wimp, before sandwiching both the teen's hands in his own, warming them up. Gohan smiled, and Trunks just stared at him, the snowflakes catching on his dark hair, looking like small crystals. Their fogs of breath mingled between them, and Trunks warmed up quickly.

They snuck back in after admiring the snow for a little longer, not wanting to wake Trunks' sleeping parents or uncle. Their wet shoes were left by the door, and they hurried to Trunks' room, trying not to drip on the carpet. Once the door was shut, Gohan turned to Trunks. "I didn't bring anything to change into, so do you care if I sleep in my shirt and boxers? I don't wanna get your bed all wet."

Trunks paused, but nodded. "Yeah, okay. Just gimme your clothes; I'll go stick them in the dryer so you'll have something to wear home tomorrow." He looked away as Gohan undressed, feeling a little embarrassed as he left with the older man's clothes. Trunks stuck them in the dryer for fifteen minutes, hoping the noise wouldn't wake up anyone else sleeping in the house. After that, he returned to his room, changing into a pair of fleece pajama bottoms, ever aware of Gohan's presence on his bed.

It was super late, so they decided to go right to sleep, not wanting to sleep in and miss breakfast. With Gohan in his bed, Trunks' heart was pounding, and he stared at the ceiling, trying to clear his mind. When Gohan shifted, his leg touched Trunks' shin, so he quickly pulled away. Trunks tried to tell himself to just lay there, go to sleep, so they could wake up, and Gohan could put on his pants.

He didn't even remember falling asleep, and as his eyes fluttered open, Trunks was surprised that he'd slept at all. Soon, his heart was thundering even harder than before. He was curled up in Gohan's arms, one of his legs intertwined with the older man's. Gohan was so close, breathing deeply and evenly, still asleep. Trunks had almost forgotten what it was like to sleep next to his best friend, and he had missed this so much, though they didn't usually cuddle like this. Just watching Gohan's face, Trunks knew he didn't want to sleep anymore for the rest of the night.

As he laid there, thoughts began to cloud his mind - thoughts of Gohan's lips, right there. He wondered for a moment if he could get away with it. Gohan was always a deep sleeper, and he was out cold right now. Trunks wanted to slap himself for even entertaining the idea, but he couldn't stop himself, watching the older man's lips part slightly as he breathed. His mouth felt dry, so he tried to wet his lips, keeping his eyes trained on Gohan's face, afraid the slightest movement would wake the man up. Before Trunks knew what he was doing, he had moved closer, so much so that he could feel Gohan's breath on his face. Maybe just one, really quick, tiny kiss... Gohan would never have to know, and Trunks would definitely never tell him. This whole night had been so perfect though. What if Gohan were to wake up? Was one kiss worth throwing away an entire evening?

Trunks' lips gently pressed to Gohan's, but he kept his eyes open. He was so warm. The teen's heart was going crazy, keeping a fast, unsteady beat. Never did he expect one of Gohan's hands to raise, cupping the back of his head. Trunks was frozen, feeling Gohan kiss back. He watched as Gohan's eyes opened slowly, then shut again, and he pulled Trunks close. Was this really happening? Trunks was obviously still dreaming, right? Even still, his hands slid up Gohan's muscular chest, and he closed his eyes.

After about two minutes of soft kissing, Trunks pulled away, looking down at his best friend. Gohan's eyes slowly opened, and he smiled, rubbing his thumb across Trunks' cheekbone, where tears were beginning to fall. He wrapped Trunks tightly in his arms, hugging him for as long as he needed. "Is this real?" Trunks whispered. He knew there was no way to convince him that any of this was actually happening, but he longed to hear the other man's voice.

Gohan was quiet, then replied, "I hope so." He felt the teen shaking in his arms, and sighed, squeezing him gently. "I've liked you for so long... I wanted to wait until you were older, when it was more appropriate." Trunks shook his head against Gohan's shoulder, making him chuckle a little. The older man ran his fingers through lavender hair, smiling to himself. "I've missed you so much, Trunks."

They ended up sleeping like that, in each other's arms. Neither of them knew what this meant, where they stood now. There was no reason to rush anything, though, or put a label on whatever this was. It was an unspoken agreement between the two boys that there was no pressure, that nothing definite had to happen yet. Gohan didn't want to say it aloud, but he still thought Trunks was too young to start a relationship with. He had planned on waiting at least another three years before even beginning to flirt with his best friend. Now everything felt complicated, and he knew they'd have to address these issues soon, but not right now.

In the morning, Bulma knocked lightly before opening the door. She half smiled, seeing the two boys curled up together. It was like they were children all over again, though she had rarely caught them in the same bed when they were younger. Trunks had always been good about moving to the floor before morning. At breakfast, they chowed down on leftover ham and scrambled eggs. Gohan looked very pleased by the end of his second plate, leaned back in his chair with a smile on his face and a hand on his belly. Trunks seemed a little nervous, but Bulma dismissed it. She didn't want to mention seeing them cuddled up together, choosing to save them from any teasing by Vegeta or Tarble.

Vegeta's younger brother left after breakfast, and Gohan looked up at the clock. "I guess I should call my mom," he stated. "She and Dad are definitely up by now." After speaking with his mother, she was on her way. "Don't worry," he assured Trunks, ruffling his hair, "we'll hang out again, maybe tomorrow. You can come over, and we'll enjoy the snow before it melts."

"Okay," Trunks answered, beaming. The events of the night before still felt like a dream, and he thought that if he mentioned them, they would all fade away. He was in a fog the rest of the day, not really able to focus on anything. They didn't text each other; Trunks wanted Gohan to enjoy a day with his family before they began talking about their situation. He mostly stayed in his room, staring at the ceiling, thinking about Gohan holding him in that same spot.


End file.
